Addis is all sunny days and blue skies recently. Work is busy and I find myself keeping tracking of just how few weeks I have left at UNDP. The sun here is setting earlier and on days where I leave the office late I'm left making my way home in the dark. Picking my way through the construction sites and dug up roads is a bit more of a challenge when you can't see the rubble under your feet.
First, there was the Meskel celebration on the eve of September 26. Orthodox Christians from across Addis and outside the city flocked to Meskel square to celebrate the finding of the 'true cross'. There were processions into the square, a religious service in Ge'ez (an ancient language now only used by the Ethiopian Orthodox church), and a large bonfire. Everyone was decked out in traditional clothing, there were crosses and prayers being sold in the crowd, and we all waited patiently with our candles in hand for the big moment.As the sun set, the bonfire was set ablaze and the crowd lit their own candles - turning Meskel square into a truly beautiful site.
After the Meskel celebration, we boarded a flight and flew to one of Ethiopia's most well-known sites in the North: Lalibela. We spent the weekend exploring the UNESCO protected rock-hewn churches, wandering through the local market, and enjoying the incredible views and general tranquility of the town.
A few weekends after Lalibela, I took the opportunity to visit another Ethiopian UNESCO site - the walled town of Harar. Harar had been on my list of must-see places in Ethiopia ever since I arrived. Located in a predominantly Muslim part of the country, descriptions of the city immediately reminded me of the medinas in Morocco - a country I have loved travelling in in the past.
Harar definitely did not disappoint. It has a decidedly different feel than other places I've been in Ethiopia. I felt like I could have spent days wandering the old cobblestone roads.
Alongside work, I've also been trying to do and see as much as possible before I leave. In light of Ethiopian Airways' recent doubling of domestic flight prices for non-residents (who doesn't love a two-tiered system?!), I'm feeling grateful I managed to squeeze in as much as I did over the last month.
First, there was the Meskel celebration on the eve of September 26. Orthodox Christians from across Addis and outside the city flocked to Meskel square to celebrate the finding of the 'true cross'. There were processions into the square, a religious service in Ge'ez (an ancient language now only used by the Ethiopian Orthodox church), and a large bonfire. Everyone was decked out in traditional clothing, there were crosses and prayers being sold in the crowd, and we all waited patiently with our candles in hand for the big moment.As the sun set, the bonfire was set ablaze and the crowd lit their own candles - turning Meskel square into a truly beautiful site.
After the Meskel celebration, we boarded a flight and flew to one of Ethiopia's most well-known sites in the North: Lalibela. We spent the weekend exploring the UNESCO protected rock-hewn churches, wandering through the local market, and enjoying the incredible views and general tranquility of the town.
Harar definitely did not disappoint. It has a decidedly different feel than other places I've been in Ethiopia. I felt like I could have spent days wandering the old cobblestone roads.
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